Comfort
by mamageek
Summary: Elizabeth's not feeling well, and John's concerned.


A/N: As always, I own nothing. Written for a friend who wanted a leading lady suffering the way she was. :D

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><p>"Elizabeth?" John's voice was concerned as he knocked on the door of her quarters. Elizabeth groaned. She really wasn't in the mood for company, but she knew John wasn't going to give up until she let him in. She dragged herself upright on her bed, wincing and pulling her wrapped hot water bottle tighter to her abdomen.<p>

"Come in, John." The door swung open and then closed quickly as he entered.

"What's wrong? I went to your office to see you and uh, you weren't there, obviously I mean since you were here, and you don't usually take off early, and so uh, I was kind of wondering, and now you're in bed…" Despite the intense pain currently ripping at her abdomen and back, Elizabeth couldn't help but smile.

"I'm not feeling well, John," she saw his eyes widen in concern and raised a hand to stop him before he started.

"No, there's nothing that can be done, nothing I'm not already doing, anyway. But since everything is calm around here for once, I decided to leave my office early and attempt to get some rest. Teyla knows I'm here, and has instructions to comm me if anything major happens." The Athosian woman had been remarkably understanding when Elizabeth had snarled at her offer of lessons in some sort of meditation to control the pain. _I'll have to apologise for that later,_ Elizabeth thought to herself, cringing slightly as she thought of the way she'd spoken to her friend. She'd just wanted so badly to curl up in her bed and whimper uncharacteristically. She turned her eyes to John, who was still standing at the foot of her bed shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot. Elizabeth couldn't stop the grin from coming to her face briefly. He was like a puppy. She shook her head slightly and tugged her knees in tightly to her chest and wrapping her arms around them before nodding to the foot of her bed.

"Do you want to sit, John?" she asked, resignedly. She could tell she was going to have to prove to him that she was going to, eventually, be fine, regardless of how she currently felt, before he'd leave her to her misery. A spasm of pain shot through her pelvis again and she cringed.

"No, uh, better not. Maybe Teyla needs some help. I mean, if you're sure I can't do anything for you?" His eyes had filled with concern when she'd been unable to conceal the last wince of pain. Elizabeth scanned the room quickly as she tried to find something she could have John bring her. She settled on something she only vaguely needed.

"There's an extra blanket in the closet. A blue one. Could you grab it for me?" John grinned.

"Yeah, yeah, I've got it." he retrieved the soft cover and brought it over, unfolding it as he walked. He stopped beside her bed and paused, seeming to contemplate something. After a moment he moved suddenly and draped the blanket over her shoulders. His hand brushed her neck lightly and Elizabeth shivered despite the warmth of her two blankets. John finished tucking the blanket carefully around her and stepped back quickly. Elizabeth's eyes filled with tears. She hadn't expected that.

"I-are you okay? Did I do something?" John's expression quickly turned to one of panic.

"No. No, it's nothing John…thank you." His face relaxed only slightly.

"You sure?" he asked.

"Positive. Really. Don't worry." She smiled at him as she pulled her water bottle tightly against her stomach again, and he nodded.

"Okay, well, good. I…I guess I'm going to go see if Teyla needs help with anything."

"Good plan, John." Elizabeth smiled again. "Thank you. For coming to check on me. This was…very sweet."

"Well, you know, I was…" John trailed off.

"Worried?" Elizabeth supplied.

"Yeah, that." John's eyes shifted uncomfortably, as they always did when emotions were being discussed. In what looked like an impulsive move, he reached forward and ran one of his hands lightly over Elizabeth's short curls. "Um, feel better soon." He didn't wait for a response before he turned quickly and left the room. Elizabeth took a deep breath, trying both to ease the cramping in her lower belly and slow her heartbeat, which had seemed to increase exponentially each time John touched her.


End file.
